Sunshine in Her Hair
by Scotia Daniel
Summary: He knew for as long as he lived he'd never forget all the firsts he had gone through with her. The first time she grinned like her father, the first time she had left the land of diapers behind, the first time she had looked into his eyes and called him 'Uncle Raph...' there was missing piece in his heart in a way that only his niece could.


The way the sun hit Raphael's face made his skin tingle from the warmth. Soon, the sun would hide behind the horizon and the cold autumn night would set in. It was the end of summer and there was something about how the sky looked towards the end of the day that was beautiful. Or so he had been told.

The ninja glanced down at the nine year old walking beside him along the edge of the building they were on. His niece's small hand was in his and they had been like that for the past hour or so.

When she discovered that he, along with most of his brothers, had never really gone above ground without the cover of nightfall, she insisted that he went on a walk with her. He had picked her up and hopped onto a roof and they went from there.

Raphael had listened to his niece jabber on about school, how she hated the librarian, wondering what it'd be like to have five toes and fingers instead of four on each hand and foot...she even brought up her parents, Donatello and April. He hadn't seen his brother and sister-in-law in a little while. Normally he loved to visit their home in the woods on the outskirts of town but with a lot that had been going on back at the lair, he hadn't gotten around to it. But it was so typical of his niece to come and fetch him if he strayed for too long.

Magdalene was growing up too fast for his liking. It seemed like it was just yesterday a very pregnant April was walking around the lair. Just yesterday he was wondering if he was fit to be an uncle with his temper and all. But as soon as he was there to witness his niece's birth and to having to hold her small body for the first time...he knew he could do no wrong with the kid.

Raphael remembered how she had reached out her hand and took hold of his finger, wrapping her small and pudgy fingers around his. He smiled at how tiny she was compared to him and wondered how something so fragile could melt his heart the way she did.

The ninja recalled the first time she took her first steps, how she had stumbled and fell but he stepped right in to put her back on her feet and wipe away the tears before they could come.

He knew for as long as he lived he'd never forget all the firsts he had gone through with her. The first time she grinned like her father, the first time she had left the land of diapers behind, the first time she had looked into his eyes and called him 'Uncle Raph...'

Raphael felt himself smile. He couldn't believe he had the pleasure of witnessing this little piece of life grow to be so much more. He watched as she grew to be so alike her mom and dad in which she was able to take any form of knowledge and soak it in, how she was patient and wise like her Uncle Leo and Jiijii Splinter, bubbly like her Uncle Mikey...and tough like her Uncle Raph. She was the side of him he thought he didn't have. The side he had other than his temper. And it was brought out wonderfully in her.

"Uncle Raph, look!"

Raphael snapped out of his thoughts and looked in the direction of where his niece was pointing. Their walk had led them to the bay with the perfect view of the Statue of Liberty. Behind Lady Liberty and the skyscrapers the sun began to set. It casted shadows over the water and across their faces.

In the sunlight, Raphael glanced down and admired how his niece's hair glittered in the sunlight. It was nearly the same colour as the orange ball in the sky and he was sure that the sun would be envious of the fact if it could.

Maggie's hair glistened in the light and Raphael suddenly didn't want the evening to end. When he was with his niece, he felt...different. Like he could be the responsible, fun loving, wise man he had the potential to be instead of the insensitive and temperamental jerk he ended up being. Maggie brought out the good in him in a way only she could.

In a way, his niece was his life savor. His sunshine. Around her, he felt happy. Like nothing in the world could do harm while she smiled and laughed the way she did. And even if something tried to hurt her, he'd be there to get rid of it. Nothing would hurt his little girl as long as he lived. His precious niece...

Raphael stood there hand in hand with the little girl as they watched the sun set over the horizon, Maggie with the smile she had inherited from Donatello on her face while Raphael was wrapped up in the memories he had of her over the years that glistened in his mind as brightly and vividly as the sunshine in her hair.

* * *

Based on the picture on by legondofkorrafan101: art/Maggie-367062882

Maggie belongs to me and NightOwl285. Read her original story here: s/9123148/1/Teenage-Mutant-Ninja-DAD-Edited-rewrit e-and-continued-version


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